Recently, I was gathering signatures for the California Right to Know Genetically Engineered Food Act in the area around Memorial Park and Solano Avenue in Albany.

Polls have shown that more than 90 percent of consumers support labeling GMOs. Really? I ask because I could hardly get 10 percent of registered voters to sign the petition.

Many were annoyed at the interruption; some did not know what genetically engineered food was; one person supported labeling GMOs but felt there were too many confusing initiatives for voters; and some were wondering if I was getting paid to gather signatures

OK, folks, I get it. It was a Saturday, and you had worked hard all week and just wanted to spend an hour with your kids or grab some breakfast. Who has time to learn about GMOs? Who has time to volunteer even if they want GMOs labeled? Or maybe you think all this “political” stuff doesn’t matter if you’re unemployed.

It’s important for all of us to know what is in our food. Some 50 countries, including the United Kingdom, Russia, China, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Japan, and every country in the European Union label GMOs.

About 87 percent of corn, 93 percent of soy, 93 percent of cottonseed, 95 percent of sugar beets and 90 percent of canola are genetically modified. At least 75 percent of all processed food (infant formula, bread, cereal, ice cream, hot dogs, fried food, peanut butter and pasta) made in the United States is genetically engineered. Big food companies and even our government will tell us genetically modified foods are safe to consume. Then what’s keeping them from labeling GMOs?

There is no way state and federal lawmakers will ever pass legislation to label GMOs. Intense lobbying from special interest groups has stopped any legislation to label GMOs.

If you want GMOs labeled, now is the time. All of us have the right to know what’s in our food. Go to labelgmos.org from more information.

Cana Chin

Albany

Is Smart’s marriage certificate for real?

Are we expected to believe that Elizabeth Smart is actually, really married? I mean, the ceremony was ostensibly performed in Hawaii, raising the question of whether that really counts.

Surely, this newspaper will display an authenticated copy of her wedding certificate.

Philip A. Encinio

Berkeley

Judiciary is the last word

It amazes me that in this age of information, so many have little grasp of the Constitution of the United States and the judiciary’s role in determining the constitutionality of any law, whether legislated or enacted by proposition.

All laws must pass constitutional muster. It doesn’t matter what the president, any governor, political organization or church has to say. The judiciary is the last word, all the way to the Supreme Court.

Don’t like the Constitution? Change it. The process is clear. Until then, pay attention to the process and perhaps take a Government 101 class.

Sal Spataro

Pinole

Tax loopholes benefit Buffett

The billionaire Democrats such as George Soros, Bill Gates and Warren Buffett, who are the richest of the 1 percent, pay very little taxes. They say millionaires should pay more taxes.

The U.S. Treasury will gladly accept donations from these billionaires.

Buffett’s corporation is fighting the Treasury Department to avoid paying more than $1 billion in back corporate income taxes. Why doesn’t Buffett pay up?

Buffett gained his $50 billion over the last 40 years — $1 billion or $2 billion every year, through a tax loophole. Gains on stocks you own aren’t taxed until you sell them. He didn’t sell his stocks. If taxed fairly, at a 15 percent rate, he owes $17 billion. But he didn’t pay one cent.

Why can’t Buffett keep his mouth shut about other rich people not paying enough in taxes when he gets away with murder?

Buffett owns railroads, whose main income is from transporting oil. Do you think Buffett would lose income if the Keystone oil pipeline were constructed to transport the oil? Buffett is a friend of President Obama.

Mike Vukelich

El Sobrante

Sexual nature is not a choice

On the controversial issue of homosexuality, an open lesbian in my comfortably liberal church stressed she did not choose her same-sex preference, that “it chose her” — that society in general seems to miss this vital claim.

In fact, this lesbian woman had been married to a nice gentleman. Unexpectedly, she chanced to meet a woman who attracted her. She didn’t “choose or decide” to be romantically attracted. It just happened, she said. Reaching the depths of honesty, she couldn’t deny her truer nature.

Meanwhile, I think of another’s homosexuality as a variation on a theme and none of my business. In any event, I choose to stand on the side of love.

Claire J. Baker

Pinole

Area needs another BART bond issued

Five-and-a-half decades ago, the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit Commission issued a report to the Legislature that led to the BART of today. It called for a long-range unified program of mass rapid transit construction and operation.

What we have today is far from unified. Five counties (with 6 million people) now ring the bay. When the voters in Alameda, Contra Costa and San Francisco counties passed their 1962 bond issue (paid off over a decade ago), BART was a dream. San Francisco had only two buildings more than a dozen stories high.

BART now reaches SFO and Millbrae in San Mateo County. It is funded to Berryessa in San Jose and planned to Santa Clara. The time has come to close the loop, to grade separate Caltrain and convert it to BART south from Millbrae.

Our transportation planners should revisit the massive RTC report and update it. Maybe add BART to the Golden Gate Bridge, Crockett, Brentwood and over the Altamont Pass. A well-planned, balanced bond measure could and should pass.